BC’s 2025 Vintage Full of Flavour and The Top 8 Wines You Need to Try This Fall
As the air turns crisp, the vineyards glow gold, and the hum of harvest sweeps across BC’s wine regions, fall isn’t “shoulder season.” It’s the season. From devoted wine club members to family and friends, folks are rolling up their sleeves to get a little dirt under their nails and join the story. And if you’re thinking you need to pack up the car and drive six hours to experience the magic, you might be surprised. The beauty of BC’s wine regions is that harvest buzz is never far away. Whether you’re taking in the rugged coastal beauty of Vancouver Island, discovering the dramatic, sunlit vineyards of Lillooet or embarking on a desert drive through Osoyoos, the province is humming with the comforting sound of busy tractors rolling through the vines.
Step inside any BC winery during harvest, and you’ll feel the energy, a mix of focus, fatigue, and camaraderie. The pace is relentless, but the mood stays playful. From early-morning picks to cellar crews juggling press loads, it’s a balance of grit and craft, capped off with shared laughs and a well-earned exhale as the sun sets. And if you happen to spot someone at the grocery store with purple-stained hands and a tired smile, they’ve probably come straight from crush, so maybe let them skip the line.
A VINTAGE FULL OF FLAVOUR
The 2025 vintage is shaping up to be one for the books. After a year of steady hands and hopeful hearts, BC’s growers have been rewarded with sunshine, well-timed rain and a season that feels almost charmed. And the vibe? High spirits, but not just from luck. Experience has brought a new level of thoughtful intention to every decision winemakers make in the vineyard and cellar. Ben Bryant, Co-Owner and Winemaker at Naramata’s 1 Mill Road Winery, notes, “Across the Okanagan Valley, the vines have shown incredible resilience. After two challenging cold seasons, growth this year has been strong and yields are above average, particularly for the red varieties. Flavour developed early, and quality is excellent, with an earlier-than-usual harvest shaping the 2025 vintage.”
When talking with Ben and other winemakers this season, one phrase keeps coming up: exceptional flavour development. Grapes built rich, balanced flavours early in the season and it’s a great sign for quality. For naturally earlier-ripening varieties like Pinot Noir, that early flavour boost gives the grapes more opportunity to deliver depth and character in the glass. And for later-ripening reds like Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, it sets the stage for vibrant, intensely flavoured wines that hang onto their freshness without climbing too high in alcohol.
While we’ll have to wait a little longer for this year’s vintage to find its way into bottle, there’s plenty of new BC wine releases to enjoy in the meantime. Fall often brings a wave of new bottles that disappear fast, but you might be lucky enough to capture them at the cellar door. Think chillable fruit-packed reds like Gamay and Pinot Noir, bright, herbal Cabernet Francs, floral, pepper-flecked Syrah’s and bright, textural Chardonnays, all perfect companions for cool evenings and cozy gatherings.
NEW RELEASES TO TRY THIS FALL
Tantalus Vineyards 2023 Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley
Bright and focused with lemon curd, green apple, and a faint mineral edge, this Chardonnay balances crisp acidity with subtle oak warmth. Elegant and refreshing. Spot on with seared scallops, butternut squash risotto or creamy mushroom pasta.
Monte Creek Winery 2024 Chardonnay, Thompson Valley
Fresh and fruit-driven, this Thompson Valley Chardonnay brings together ripe orchard fruit, soft spice, and a gentle hint of oak. Vibrant acidity keeps it lively from first sip to last. Pair it with herb-roasted turkey, pan-seared trout, or a fall vegetable tart.
Solvero Wines 2022 Pinot Noir, Summerland, Okanagan Valley
A poised, aromatic Pinot Noir brimming with cherry, wild berries, and a touch of savoury spice. Silky tannins and bright acidity lend focus and freshness. Beautiful with roast duck, cedar-plank salmon, or mushroom and thyme risotto.
Unsworth Vineyards 2022 Pinot Noir, Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island
Light-bodied and quietly complex, this quenching Island Pinot offers cranberry, red cherry, and forest herb notes with bright coastal acidity. Try it with herb-roasted chicken, grilled salmon, or lentil stew.
1 Mill Road Winery 2024 Syrah/Pinot Noir, Washington/Okanagan Valley
This unique blend marries Syrah’s peppery depth with Pinot’s bright red fruit and lift. The result is smooth and balanced with gentle spice on the finish. A natural match for grilled lamb, charcuterie, or hearty fall stews.
Rust Wine Co 2022 Gamay, Similkameen Valley
Juicy and vibrant, this Gamay bursts with raspberry and cherry followed by a hint of spice. It’s bright, fresh and food friendly. Serve slightly chilled with bison burgers, beet salad, or butternut squash soup.
Fort Berens Estate Winery 2022 Cabernet Franc, Lillooet
Bright red fruit, subtle herbs, and a touch of tobacco leaf give this Cabernet Franc lift and precision. Smooth and medium-bodied with that signature Lillooet freshness. Perfect with grilled sausage, lentil chili, or roasted root vegetables.
Orofino Vineyards 2021 Reserve Syrah, Similkameen Valley
Rich and structured with blackberry, black pepper, and smoky undertones, this Syrah delivers warmth and depth. Perfect alongside braised short ribs, venison stew, or a charred vegetable platter.
IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO FALL FOR BC WINE
With the early harvest rush behind us, the pace has shifted into something more relaxed. Many tasting rooms remain open, some moving to seasonal hours or shifting to ‘by appointment’, offering visitors the chance to slow down and connect on a deeper level. With a little planning, you can still visit the wineries at the top of your list. Fall tastings tend to feel more personal, with seasoned staff taking the time to share stories, pour favourites, and offer genuine insight into the wines and the decisions behind them. You might even find yourself chatting with a winemaker or owner, turning a casual visit into something more memorable.
There’s a real sense of gratitude for what this season has brought. Each year delivers its own mix of challenges and rewards, and the vines, much like the people who tend them, adapt and endure. That push and pull with the elements is part of what makes our BC wines so distinctive. The rhythm of each growing season shapes something new to taste, to learn from and to celebrate. In BC’s wine country, authentic experiences hang on the vine waiting for those who know that the real adventure starts with harvest. Get out there, explore and fall for BC wine.
Emily Walker
Emily Walker is an Okanagan-bred Sommelier, Educator, Wine Judge and a key player in the BC wine scene. After having run some of Vancouver’s top wine programs, Emily has returned to her Okanagan roots and is now overseeing the wine program at one of BC’s hottest tables – Naramata Inn. As the former wine director for the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver, she poured her passion into creating authentic, memorable and always approachable food and wine experiences for guests and took their wine program from Bronze to Gold at the Vancouver International Wine Festival’s “Wine List Awards”. As an independent wine consultant Emily also oversees the wine program for the Tap & Barrel group of restaurants – recently touted by Vancouver Magazine as one of the Top Five wine lists in the City. Emily’s Okanagan Valley upbringing continues to influence an affinity for honest, terroir-driven wine and a passion for championing the region.